My DIY Pea Gravel Patio & Some Thoughts on Gratitude

Y’all, I recently wrapped up my Fall landscaping project and not a minute too soon. It seems like the weather is starting to cool WAY down. But I love this new outdoor pea gravel patio so much I just might be willing to brave the cold to enjoy it.

If you read my last post then you know this project was a bit of a challenge for me as it was my first landscaping project. But I’m so proud of myself for finishing it and I’m thrilled to be sharing the end result with you. When we moved into this house the backyard was empty. Literally, there was nothing. You can see a before photo here.

The goal was to create a simple but pretty seating area. I wanted it to be comfortable enough to hang out there a while with the option to have a small fire on chilly nights without committing to a built-in fire pit. Which is why we opted for a small portable one. This way we can either have a fire in the middle of the seating area or on warmer nights we can use the small coffee table in the center of the space for food and drinks.

We had our first bonfire this weekend and it was pretty perfect. As I was sitting there with my husband, the fire was crackling and I was taking in that amazing smell of burning wood and I was overcome with a feeling of gratitude. We were together. Our dogs were running around playing in the yard and our chickens were tucked in their coop for the night. My heart just about exploded.

I thought about how I could dwell on what I don’t have, or what’s missing from our lives, but why would I do that? God has provided so much and I’m so grateful for this little family of mine.

Seeing as how it’s almost Thanksgiving it seems like the right time to talk about gratitude. That night, I realized that if I spend too much time worrying about what I don’t have I might miss out on what’s right in front of me. And I don’t want to let that happen.